Lakeview Girl Saves Dad's Life

LAKEVIEW, NY - It's not every day that a seven-year old saves her father's life, but this week that very thing happened in Lakeview. Samantha Bella alerted her mom to a very serious medical problem her father was having.

Alan Bella, 39, usually goes for a long run most mornings around five, but this past Monday was a holiday and he over slept several hours. In an odd twist of fate, sleeping late may have helped to save his life.

Alan went downstairs to make some coffee when he began to feel ill and dizzy. He knew something was wrong. He told 2 On Your Side, "My left arm went dead, as if you slept on it and it went asleep. I realized I was having a stroke, but I'm 39 … who has a stroke at 39?"

But it was a stroke, and before he knew it he fell face first on the floor. Fortunately for him, his seven- year-old daughter Samantha heard what was going on.

Samantha told us, "I slammed down my Kindle Fire and looked, and dad was on the floor. I ran over and said to dad ... are you ok?"

She knew there was a problem. Samantha says she was "scared and worried" for her father.

Sam quickly ran upstairs and was able to alert her mother to the problem.

Paramedics soon arrived and Alan was rushed to Mercy Hospital, where Samantha was able to give doctors a clear and concise account of what happened. Her report helped doctors qualify her father for a special drug that is only effective if administered within three hours of the onset of a stroke. It was truly life-saving, and her mom and the doctors made sure to let her know.